Mithras Slaying the Bull
Brief Identification This bronze plaque shows the Roman god, Mithras, slaying a sacred bull with a dagger alongside a dog, snake, and scorpion. 112 It was produced by a Roman (artist unknown) at some point in the mid 2nd-early 3rd century. Plaques such as this were hung along the walls of mithraeums, Temples of Mithras, because they depict his heroic adventures. This piece is currently on view at The Met Fifth Avenue in New York City, New York. Techincal Evaluation This plaque is made of out bronze. It was formed with the process of sphyrelaton. This process is simple, but cutting edge at the time. It is accomplished by “hammering the bronze over wooden forms in order to produce reliefs.” The bronze used is an alloy typically composed of 90 percent copper and 10 percent tin. The main source of copper for the Roman Empire was imported from the island of Cyprus. “Roman copper production was carried out by contractors under the control of a Roman procurator” Tin was similarly imported from places such as Turkey, Afghanistan, and England. This plaque was donated to the Met as a gift from Mr and Mrs. Klaus G Perls as part of a collection that was showcased between March 9-June 6, 1997. Local Historical Context This plaque would have been hung at a prominate place within a Mithraeum. "The arrangement of the space was clearly designed to focus one's attention towards where the cult-image was located." 43 A Mithraeum is a temple used by followers of the Cult of Mithras. These temples were built inside of underground caves alongside freshwater streams. This is because according to the legend, Mithras was born from rock and the freshwater was used in rituals. By design, all of the reliefs had very similar iconography of the Tauroctony. The Tauroctony is the scene shown with Mithras wearing traditionally Persian garb, killing the sacred bull with his dagger with the help of a dog, a snake, and a scorpion. The Tauroctony is the crowning achievement for Mithras that cements his place among the gods. He is able to slay the bull after he has ridden it, outmuscled it, and dragged it to a cave. After the scorpion cuts off the bull’s man-parts, Mithras dines upon them with the sun-god, Sol. World Historical Significance Anthropologists believe that this cult was formed in the 1st century CE and was practiced within the Roman Empire until it went extinct in the 5th century CE. Mithraism spread with the movement of the Roman Legions. It was very popular amongst the ranks of legionaries for a number of reasons. First, the religion was exclusively for men. That allowed it to spread amongst the men within the military. Second, it promoted a bond and sense of belonging. Third, there were a number of high ranked men in the aristocracy who were inducted members. It is believed that Mithraism “trickled up” the social ladder as it gained more and more members. The religion peaked around the 3rd century CE in terms of popularity. Initially, Mithraism had been accepted because it was in favor of imperial power. The beginning of its downfall came when Constantine signed the Edict of Milan in 313 CE, effectively making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire . This brought the religion of Mithraism to an end around the tail end of the 5th century CE. Suggessted Bibliography Thompson, Nancy L. Roman Art: A Resource for Educators. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2007. Walsh, David. DEVELOPMENT, DECLINE AND DEMISE: THE CULT OF MITHRAS Ca. A.D. 270-430. Doctoral Thesis, University of Kent, 2016. "Constantine the Great Rules." Time Line of Early Christianity--The Lost Gospel of Judas-- National Geographic. Accessed November 10, 2016. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/timeline_10.html. Hemingway, Authors: Seán Hemingway Colette. "The Technique of Bronze Statuary in Ancient Greece | Essay | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Met's Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Accessed November 14, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/HD/grbr/hd_grbr.htm. "IV. Copper in Cyprus." Kupros: Copper in the History of Cyprus. Accessed November 12, 2016. http://www.fergusmurraysculpture.com/cyprus/history-notes-12-pages/iv-kupros- copper/. “The Roman Cult of Mithras.” Accessed November 12, 2016. http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/mithras/display.php?page=main. "Mithraic History." Mithraic History. Accessed November 14, 2016. http://www.mithraeum.info/history.htm. "Mithraism." Ancient History Encyclopedia. 2015. Accessed November 10, 2016. http://www.ancient.eu/Mithraic_Mysteries/. "National Gallery of Art." Alexander Calder. Accessed November 12, 2016. http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/exhibitions/1997/calder_perls.html.